The Angel of Konoha
by Starbeam79
Summary: Kabuto experiments on Naruto. AU before Pain attacks Konoha. Raited M for safety. NO LEMONS. Main pairing is Naruhina. Other pairings to follow. I don't own any of the characters, settings ect. that appear in Kishimoto-sensei's story.
1. Chapter 1-Missions

Chapter 1 - Missions

As the late morning sun shone on a field of flowers, a little blond haired, blue eyed boy of about five came running over the hill.

"Wait up, Oushi!" A brunette girl of twelve called after him.

"Oh, let him be Usagi," a thirteen-year-old boy, his long dark hair tied back.

"Alright Tora," Usagi sighed.

"There you are Kiki, Mino," an older man with an eye patch said, catching up to the older children, "Where's Naruto?"

"Oushi just went over the hill, Father Jofure," Usagi told him.

"Thank you, Kiki," Father Jofure never used their nicknames.

Once the other three caught up to the hipper five-year-old, Father Jofure spread out a picnic blanket and the four of them ate lunch.

"So, Naruto, you're going to start the academy tomorrow, right?" Father Jofure asked as they ate. Kiki and Mino were already Genin.

"Yeah!" Naruto said. "I can't wait! 'Coz after that, I'm gonna become Hokage!"

"Let's just hope the senseis have an easier time keeping up with you Oushi," Usagi giggled.

As the four of them laughed and enjoyed the rest of their picnic, they didn't notice the two shadowy figures approaching them.

Father Jofure finally noticed them as they were about a few yards from their picnic blanket. "Can I help you?" He politely asked the newcomers.

One of them pointed at Naruto and said, "surrender the boy and no one gets hurt!"

Suddenly everything went red around Naruto and he found himself sitting bolt upright in a bed.

* * *

Breathing heavily, Naruto looked around his bedroom. _Just a dream,_ he thought, calming down his breathing. He hadn't had that recurring nightmare since about halfway through his training with Jiraiya. The last time before that had been before joining Iruka-sensei's class.

Naruto shook the thought from his head. He ate his breakfast of cup ramen and milk, then got dressed letting the nightmare once again slip away from his mind.

It had been over a month since Jiraiya had died, and he still felt bitter towards the Akatsuki because of it, but no one had heard from those punks for about the same amount of time. This made the blond haired, blue eyed shinobi worry.

At the moment, however, all he felt was excitement as he locked his front door. They were going to the Land of Lightning, apparently to aid the Raikage himself! The only other Kage Naruto had ever met was the current Kazekage, who happened to be his friend, Gaara of the Desert.

Naruto smiled as he ran to the rendezvous point, remembering the mission his team had gone on to rescue Gaara from the Akatsuki. Naruto then slowed down to a walk.

Thinking about the Akatsuki brought back the worry. He shook it off, he had a mission to focus on. But he couldn't think of anything else now but the Akatsuki.

It was no secret that the Akatsuki had been hunting him, for the same reason that he had to rescue Gaara from them. They wanted the Biju sealed within him, the Kyuubi.

The more he thought about the Akatsuki and what they were after, the slower Naruto walked, then he suddenly stopped. It hadn't been because of his thoughts, but because he had heard a familiar gasp. Naruto looked up, but the young kunoichi that the gasp belonged to was already out of sight.

_She's really good at hiding, _Naruto thought with a smile, grateful to the young Hyuuga heiress for breaking him out of his thoughts. "Hey, Hinata, what's up?" Naruto asked with a smile, but without bothering to look for her.

"Oh, N-Naruto-kun, uh, um," The dark haired, lavender eyed kunoichi shuddered as she peaked from around a fence corner. Her face, Naruto noticed, was very red.

_Why is she so shy around me? _Naruto wondered. He knew that Hyuuga Hinata was a shy girl, but he also knew that she was more so when he was around. This made it difficult for him to talk to her, since it would take five minutes for her to say a complete sentence to him. He had made it his secret mission to get her to come out of her shell, but it was difficult. However, Naruto liked a challenge. The reason for this was because ever since he'd learned that she'd always been watching him, he'd get this weird feeling in his chest when ever he saw her. A feeling that he'd figure out someday, so he didn't let it bother him.

"Hey, Naruto!" Another familiar female voice called out.

Naruto turned to see the pink haired, green eyed medic of his team. "Oh, hey Sakura-chan!" Naruto said as she came closer. "I'm not late, am I?"

Sakura sighed, as she usually did when he asked a stupid question. "No, you're not," she said grumpily. Then she spotted the shy kunoichi. "Oh, hey there Hinata!" She called out to their former classmate.

"H-hello, Sakura-san," Hinata said in her usual timid voice.

Naruto looked at the half hidden young woman quizzically, until Sakura turned to him and said "let's get going or we _will_ be late!"

"Oh, right!" Naruto said turning to follow his teammate. He turned his head to look back at the shy kunoichi. "See you later, Hinata," he called over his shoulder.

* * *

Sakura didn't have to worry, they had waited an hour before their sensei-turned team captain Hatake Kakashi showed up. Their newest team member, Sai, had arrived about five minutes after they did.

"You're late, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto and Sakura shouted together when the cool, though oafish, Jonin showed up.

"Sorry, you see there was an old woman who needed help carrying her luggage and..."

"You're nose is growing, sensei!" the two yelled in unison.

Kakashi sighed, "alright, lets get started with the mission briefing."

"All right!" Naruto cried, the excitement returning to him.

"Calm down, Naruto," Kakashi chided him. "I'm sure you want to hear what the mission _is_." Naruto grinned devilishly. "Our mission is simple, yet dangerous. We are to secure the body of the Raikage's brother who had been captured and had the Hachibi removed by the Akatsuki." the cool elite ninja explained in a stern voice.

At the mention of the criminal organization, a burning sensation filled his gut. _They've got another one?_

"It's been about a month since they've last been seen..." Sai said thoughtfully.

"Indeed," Kakashi said, "and now they've got another Biju."

"How many are left then, sensei?" Naruto asked through clenched teeth, "Biju I mean." Everyone looked at Naruto, surprised that he wasn't throwing a fit about not leaving right then.

"As of now... Just one," Kakashi said in a sympathetic, yet serious, voice.

Naruto's body shook, his hands clenched. "All they need now is me, then?" He asked, his soft voice didn't hide the anger he felt.

Sakura put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry," the medic told him kindly, "we won't let them win!"

"Of course," Sai said, grinning, "you're our teammate." Everyone couldn't help but smile at the dark haired boy. _He's improving,_ was all they could think.

Looking at his team, Naruto's memory of the nightmare flashed back to him for a moment, then it slipped away again.


	2. Chapter 2-Crimson Clouds in a Night Sky

Chapter 2 - Crimson Clouds in a Night Sky

Team Kakashi was about halfway to the Land of Lightning, when they camped out for the night. Sakura had taken the first watch. The medic looked at her blond teammate. She had noticed that he'd been getting more and more restless as they traveled. _Is he wondering the same thing I am?_ Sakura wondered, _that we might not find this B person's body? After all, the Akatsuki might have disposed of it somehow._

Sakura was brought out of her thoughts by a rustling in the bushes nearby. She quickly grabbed a kunai from her holster and put it in front of her in a defensive position across her chest. A fox kit came out of the bush. _Just a baby fox._ She thought, as she sighed with relief. The little fox just looked at her and she smiled at it. But then a vixen came, nipped it's ear, and the kit followed her back into the forest without looking back. The pink haired kunoichi giggled softly from the fox family scene that reminded her of her and her mother. Then she sighed, when the girl had left on the mission, her mother had been having another one of her "moods" which made the young ninja glad to be going on a mission.

Then she noticed movement next to her, but it had just been Naruto stirring. Sakura watched, bewildered, as the blond ninja stood up groggily and trudged himself into the forest. _Is he sleep-walking?_ Sakura thought. But then she heard what sounded like a hose being turned on and the boy's sigh of relief. She groaned silently, her head in her hand. _He had to pee,_ she couldn't believe that she'd thought something was wrong. She heard the stream end and waited for the boy to return to the clearing. And waited... _Where is he?_ Sakura wondered. _Could he have gotten lost?_ She wouldn't put it past the blond idiot, especially since he's not really awake. _Don't tell me he fell asleep there?_ The pink-haired medic thought as a vein started bulging from her forehead. Then she saw someone with something over their shoulder. When the person stepped into a ray of moonlight she saw the cloak and their burden. "Everyone wake up!" Sakura cried. _How could I have been so stupid!_ She thought.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Sai said but he didn't need her to answer. He and Kakashi both saw the Akatsuki member with Naruto, limp, over their shoulder. He appeared to be bound by white bandages. Team Kakashi gave chase and was gaining on the cloaked figure. That's when they noticed that it wasn't bandages that bound their teammate, but what appeared to be sheets of paper.

However, the Akatsuki soon realized that the Konohanin were behind them and picked up the pace. "Damn," Kakashi muttered as the gap between the cloaked assailant and themselves started to widen. "How'd this happen, Sakura!" Kakashi demanded. "Naruto got up to pee, and then..." She couldn't finish her sentence, but she knew that they got the idea because Kakashi said, "Figures that they'd wait for an opening like that."

Sakura hung her head in shame. "Don't blame yourself, Sakura," Sai said, "none of us knew they were nearby."

"Sai?" she whispered. But she noticed that the dark haired boy had his brows furrowed. _He's angry?_ She was surprised, Sai's face was usually devoid of any _real_ emotion, though he was trying to understand them. Usually any emotion that his face did portray was forced. This was different, though, she could tell that he was genuinely upset. _Is he angry at me, or at the Akatsuki, or..._ Her thoughts were interrupted when the team had suddenly stopped. Six other Akatsuki members had jumped between them and the one carrying Naruto. They recognized the Akatsuki members from book Kabuto had given Naruto, as well as the report from Fukasaku-sama. The one carrying Naruto was named Konan, the only woman in the organization. The six between them were known as The Six Paths of Pain.

"Careful everyone!" Kakashi warned, "these are the ones who took down Jiraiya-sama!"

"Konan," The Pain with spiky hair similar to Naruto's said, "Continue on, I'll keep them busy."

"Yes," the blue haired Kunoichi said as paper wings folded from her back and she took flight.

"Oh no you don't!" Sai cried as he let out a huge ink bird and started after the blue haired kunoichi.

"Sai, wait!" Kakashi cried, but too late. The heavy set Pain with a squashed nose raised a hand towards the bird and started drawing it towards him. He was absorbing the jutsu! Sai jumped down and dispelled the jutsu, covering the six enemies with ink. Kakashi pulled out a scroll and summoned Pakkun. "Get this to Tsunade, A.Q.S.P.!"

"Right!" Pakkun said. Then, after taking the scroll, ran off.

Kakashi looked and saw that the Six Pains' didn't seem to have noticed Pakkun. _Good,_ Kakashi thought. _At least the information will get there._

Then another heavy set Pain, this one bald with spikes covering his head, stepped forward. The top of his head opened and missiles shot towards the team. They dodged the missiles, but the smoke from their explosion kept them from seeing the small ball until it was too late. The small ball burst and a white smoke engulfed them. _Knock out gas!_ Kakashi realized too late. The three of them were coughing from the smoke, then, after muttering a few choice words, were out cold.


	3. Chapter 3-In the Hands of Death

Chapter 3 - In the Hands of Death

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune rushed into the office, holding a scroll, Tonton at her heals. Excusing herself as she rushed past Hinata, placing the scroll on the desk.

"What's this?" Tsunade asked opening the scroll. Her face fell as she read the contents. "This... No way!" Shizune could see that her mistress was choking back her tears. "Shizune!"

The sudden shout of her name shocked her, "Y-yes milady?"

"I want you to take Team Kurenai to go assist Team Kakashi!" The urgency of the order kept Shizune from saying anything other than: "Right!"

"What happened to Team Kakashi?" Kiba asked.

"The Akatsuki attacked them," Tsunade said softly. "They've taken Naruto and left the others in bad shape."

"Then we must hurry," Shino said, his teammates nodding in agreement.

* * *

"This way," Kiba said after half a day of traveling.

They saw that their comrades were down. Shizune went to each of them in turn to evaluate their conditions.

"They've been hit with a knockout gas," she explained quickly. "They should come out of it in a moment."

Kiba and Akamaru were circling the aria. "There were six... no seven Akatsuki members," he explained. "One ran off with Naruto, the other six stayed behind."

"Most likely they were keeping Team Kakashi from pursuing Naruto." Shino explained.

"Well, whatever the reason, they've got about a twenty-four hour head start." Kiba noted.

No one noticed the tears that had been forming in Hinata's eyes. The man that she secretly loved was in danger, and she was helpless to aid him.

* * *

Naruto awoke with a splitting headache. He tried opening his eyes, but that sent a fresh wave of pain as well as nausea causing him to close them again, tight. The nausea went away, but the pain lingered. He tried again. The pain and nausea returned, but this time he was ready and didn't let it stop him.

What he saw made him wish that he hadn't. Two Akatsuki members were holding him by his upper arms and were dragging him through what appeared to be either a dimly lit building or a cave.

He tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. Then he realized that they must've drugged him. Although he did notice that his hands were bound behind his back.

The two Akatsuki members, he realized, were Hoshigaki Kisame and another he'd never seen before. _Must be a new guy._ He thought, then he remembered that he'd never meet all the Akatsuki members. He'd looked again, only being capable of moving his eyes. He had orange hair, messy like his own. But then he saw the piercings and realized that he was their leader, the one known as Pain.

Naruto felt the anger swell inside him as he looked at the man who'd killed his teacher. However, try as he might, he couldn't move. He couldn't even build up his chakra. Not even the Kyuubi's chakra was flowing. _Damn it!_ he thought. The blond ninja was helpless and in the hands of his most hated... and deadly... foe.


	4. Chapter 4-The Beast of Burden

Chapter 4 - The Beast of Burden

After waking up, Shizune gave Team Kakashi a go over. "You'll be battle ready in a few moments," she told Kakashi.

"We don't have a few moments to spare," he told her sternly, getting to his feet.

Sakura and Sai followed suite. Shizune didn't argue. She knew that every second that passed, Naruto was that much closer to death. And Kakashi was just like Naruto when a comrade was in danger. "Kiba's got the trail," the dark haired kunoichi explained, bitting back her impulse to try and make them rest a bit more.

"Good," Kakashi said firmly, "lead the way."

"Right," Kiba, sitting astride his large hound, said seriously. "Let's go, Akamaru!" The ninhound barked once and they took off, followed closely by their teammates and Team Kakashi.

* * *

Naruto started being able to move his head slightly. However, moments later, he found himself being thrown onto the hard ground. He landed with a thud and a grunt. He looked up to see a huge statue with nine eyes and chains on its wrists. The young shinobi remembered that Gaara had mentioned it, the statue where the Akatsuki stored the Biju; Gedo Mazo.

Finding himself starting to feel his chakra and capable of wiggling a bit, he quickly looked at his bindings, hoping that he might be able to remove them and get free. To his surprise, they weren't ropes, but a binding seal. Suppressing the grin that threatened to give him away, he closed his eyes. The Akatsuki were waiting on a couple members to show, Tobi and a new guy named Minomaru. This gave Naruto the time he needed.

The binding seal slowly vanished and Naruto was free. However, Tobi and Minomaru had arrived while he had been focusing and he didn't have time to escape. He felt something hit him, and realized that they had started extracting the Kyuubi from him.

* * *

Teams Kakashi and Kurenai stopped a short distance from a large mountain, a cave mouth just visible. "They're in there, then?" Kakashi asked Kiba.

"Yeah," the brunette dog trainer replied.

"Hinata, how's it look in there?" Shizune asked the young heiress.

"One moment, please," Hinata said softly, but firmly. "Byakugan!" Hinata looked inside the cave and gasped.

"What is it?" Shino asked.

"Th-the Akatsuki, they're... they're all dead!" No one could hide their lack of surprise.

"Alright, Naruto!" Sakura cheered, "I knew they couldn't take you that easily!"

"Where is Naruto, then?" Kakashi asked with concern.

Sakura looked at the pale eyed girl when she swallowed hard, seeming to be unable to find her voice in her trembling body. When she finally spoke her words came out as barely a whisper: "H-he's not, not th-there."


	5. Chapter 5-The Weasel in Snakes Clothing

Chapter 5 - The Weasel in Snakes Clothing

"Jezz Oushi, don't you eat anything besides ramen?" The twelve-year-old brunette girl nicknamed Usagi said to the five-year-old boy.

"Naruto, you really should eat more vegetables," Father Jofure said.

The blond boy glared at the older man, ramen noodles hanging from his mouth.

"Man, I wish I had my camera Oushi," the boy nicknamed Tora laughed.

"You didn't bring it Mino?" Father Jofure asked the dark haired boy.

The thirteen-year-old Genin looked sheepishly at the clergyman as the other two gaped at him. "I need to replace the batteries."

"Ah," Father Jofure said. "I'll be sure to rectify that when we return to..." The kids looked at the one-eyed man, then turned to see what had caught his attention. Two strangers in white hooded cloaks were standing a few meters away. "Can I help you?" He asked the newcomers politely.

One of the hooded figures pointed at Naruto. "Surrender the boy and no one gets hurt."

The holy man glared at the man, "I'm afraid I can't do that."

Then everything turned red and Naruto woke with a start.

* * *

_That dream again, _Naruto thought. Breathing heavily, the blond ninja went to move his arm when a sharp pain shot through his body causing him to gasp. The only part he could move without pain was his head. Looking around, Naruto took in his surroundings. He appeared to be lying in some kind of medical facility bed. There was a drip IV attached to his left arm filled with a clear amber liquid. A heart monitor next to him beeped his pulse. How he hadn't noticed it before was anyone's guess. But how'd he get there, he wondered. Why was he there? Then he remembered the events with the Akatsuki. Someone must have saved him from dying due to the extraction. He looked at his right shoulder. It was bound in bandages. _What the..?_ But Naruto's thoughts were cut short when someone spoke... "Ah, so you're awake Naruto-kun?"

Naruto froze, he knew that voice. Naruto's head shot in the direction of the young man, a bead of sweat appearing on his forehead. "Kabuto?" He gasped. The Otonin looked more like Orochimaru than ever. All that remained of his former appearance was his silver hair that he now wore down and round glasses. A shiver ran down his spine as he looked back at the amber liquid, fearing what it might be.

"What, no 'thank you' for saving your life?" The Otonin said in mock hurt, causing the boy to glare at him. "I know, you're just worried that I've been tinkering with you?" Kabuto said grinning at the boy. "Well..." The medic leaned on the side of the bed, looking the young shinobi in the eye and grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You're right," he chortled.

Stepping away, Kabuto opened a drawer. "I compiled a special formula just for you." Naruto tried to move again, but the shooting pain made it impossible. Gasping and moaning he kept trying, the pain getting worse with each effort. "I should have told you," Kabuto said with mock sympathy while pulling something out of the drawer, "you won't be able to move for a while."

Breathing heavily, Naruto glared at the back of the former spy's head. With the pain still coursing through his body, he didn't try to move again. "Wh-what do... do you want with... with me?" He said between gasps.

Kabuto turned to look at his young prisoner. "Ah, the most important question." Kabuto grinned at him. "You could say that this has to do with a dream of mine."

Naruto couldn't hide his surprise, "your dream?"

"That's right," Kabuto replied, placing something he'd pulled from the drawer into a kidney shaped metal bowl. "I'm sure you, of all people, understand the lengths one will go in order to fulfill a dream." Kabuto approached the IV with the bowl. "Now, I'm going to give you a little something to help you rest," Kabuto said seriously. "After all, you're still recovering from the injuries that your body received from the extraction possess." Kabuto pulled the item from the bowl and Naruto finally got a good look at it. A syringe filled with a clear liquid. His blue eyes widened at the sight, however his body ached to much to resist.

To his surprise, though, Kabuto used the IV to administer the medicine. The boy started feeling drowsy. Kabuto said something, but Naruto didn't hear it as sleep overtook him.


	6. Chapter 6-Alive or Dead?

Chapter 6 - Alive or Dead?

"Three Akatsuki are unaccounted for, with one familiar and one unfamiliar sent," Kakashi was recounting everything they'd discovered after entering the Akatsuki hideout. "There are also two trails. One belonging to the unfamiliar sent and the missing Akatsuki member Kisame, the other belonging to Kabuto and Naruto."

"And the other two Akatsuki members, Tobi and Zetsu, seem to have vanished without a trace." Kiba chimed in.

"Considering their abilities, it's not impossible," Shino mentioned.

"Right," Kakashi said, "so what do we do now?"

"We should follow Kabuto's trail," Sai said. "I don't like the idea of Naruto being his prisoner."

"There's no guarantee that he's even alive," Sakura said gloomily. Everyone hung their heads at that statement, for they knew it was true.

"Um," Hinata said, "I-I'm sure he's alive." They all looked at the fidgeting shy brunette. "I-I mean," she gulped and blushed, "th-this _is_ N-Naruto-kun we-we're talking about, so, um..."

"Hinata's right," Kiba exclaimed. "I mean come on, he isn't called the Number One Unpredictable Ninja for nothing!" With that, everyone smiled and Kakashi agreed to follow Kabuto's trail.

_Hold on, Naruto-kun! _Hinata thought as they started off. _We're coming!_

* * *

They had traveled about 3 kilometers when Kakashi had them stop. "What is it, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura said.

"Hinata, can you check out 30 meters ahead?" Kakashi asked the young Hyuuga.

She nodded and activated her Byakugan. "I see them," she replied. "They're in an underground hideout."

"What about Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

"H-he's unconscious, but alive." They all breathed sighs of relief at this. "However..."

"What?" Sakura asked. "I-it seems, that, well, um..." "What Hinata?" Kiba demanded. "Well, um, he's, that is, um..." "Take a deep breath, Hinata and tell us." Kakashi said.

Hinata took a deep breath and said "He-seems-to-be-undergoing-medical-treatment-of-so me-kind." She forced the words out before she faltered again.

"You said 'medical treatment,' right?" Sakura said.

Hinata nodded, "there's an IV and a heart meter."

"Either Kabuto's treating his injuries from the extraction or doing experiments on him," Kakashi explained.

"Perhaps even both," Shino added.

"Let's find out, eh?" Kiba suggested, grinning devilishly.

Kakashi nodded and they headed towards the hideout.


	7. Chapter 7-Heading Home

Chapter 7 - Heading Home

_He's pretty much healed, _Kabuto thought as he examined his prisoner after replacing the empty amber fluid pouch with one of clear hydrating fluid. _Impressive, though. None of his injuries were life threatening, even after having the fox extracted from him. Not that _I'll_ ever tell him that._ After he finished the examination, Kabuto headed for the door. _I'm going to need restraints soon if I don't want him running off on me._

After Kabuto left the room, Teams Kakashi and Kurenai entered through another door. Hinata had her Byakugan focused on Kabuto while Sakura examined Naruto. "It's safe to move him," Sakura whispered. Shizune unplugged the machines while Sakura removed the IV and the pads for the heart monitor. Sai and Kiba gently placed Naruto on Kakashi's back and they quickly left the way they came.

Shortly after they left, Kabuto returned, restraints in hand. Seeing the empty bed, Kabuto tightened his grip on the restraints. _I guess I won't be needing these, after all._ He thought, grinning his Cheshire cat grin. _Oh, well this'll give me some time to get the "Final Phase" ready._

* * *

About three kilometers away from the hideout, Teams Kurenai and Kakashi had stopped to rest for the night.

"That was easy," Kiba said while Sakura examined Naruto.

"Too easy," Kakashi said. "It's almost like Kabuto _wanted_ us to take Naruto back."

"But why would he?" Sakura asked.

"That is a good question." Kakashi closed his eyes, deep in thought. "Well, Naruto's safe, and that's what's important."

"And the mission?" Sai asked.

"I've already told you Sai," Kakashi said. "Tsunade-sama placed Team Gai on it. All we need to worry about now is getting Naruto back to Konoha safely."

"Right," Sai replied.

Suddenly, Sakura gasped. "What's wrong?" Shizune asked the younger medic.

"He-he's burning up!" She cried.

Shizune knelt next to Naruto while Sakura got a cool compress ready. "Probably an after affect of whatever Kabuto had done to him." She muttered, examining him herself. His temperature was exceptionally high.

* * *

Naruto once again awoke to beeping monitors. Looking around he noticed that he was no longer in Kabuto's hideout, but Konoha Hospital. _Home at last!_ Naruto thought. He had been about to fall asleep when a shooting pain came from his shoulders, causing him to cry out!

"Naruto!" Sakura cried as she rushed into the room where he'd been resting.


End file.
